Fumigating apparatus



May 10, 1949. y K. D. CROOKS 2,469,814

FUMIGATING APPARATUS Filed NOV. 20, 1946 7 6 nag lo grwmq/bo't KENNETH D. CROOKS Patented May 10, 1949 U-NilT-ED GFF I CTE 5'rGlaims.

'This invention relates to fumigating systems and apparatus and particularly to apparatus which-may be readily incorporated in building structures, machinery and manufacturing plants for predetermined arrangement in "a wide variety of installations.

My system and apparatus while having very wide applicability where fumigation is carried: out through themedium of lethal fluids either -gaseous or liquid is particulary Welladapted for use in-factories' and mills, such as'ilour mills,for application to variousmachinery'suoh'as bins; dusters, reels, roller mi1ls, purifiers and the like, wherein a variety of different conditions are present.

At the present time the cost and'installation of suitable distributor tube systems'in the various machinery of mills and plants is quite high. "Most of the distributor tubes are of rigid metal and must be preformed 0r shaped and then suspended properly 'to conform to the particular requirements. Uniform distribution of the lethal fluids at'the'points'desiredthroughout the length of the conduit is'difficultto-achieve because-any orifices formed in metal exude in -most insta'n'ces more fluid'than is desired-at any-one predetermined point.

'It 'is'an object of my-invention to provide a system'and apparatus for lethal fluid fumigating wherein'the elements of my'apparatus are readily "adapted for various positioning and shaping to meet requirements, and wherein the cost of material and installation is greatly reduced'compared to :app'aratu's now extensively used.

A. further obje'ct i's the provision 0f "fumigating apparatus of the classdescribedwhic'h is adapted to vary'uniformly throughout the length ofthe distributing conduits, discharge the lethal gas or liquid at'a predetermined flow rate-and so gradually, that optimum conditions are obtained for economical fumigation.

More sp'ecificallyit is an object to provide apparatus of the type described wherein the "distribution conduits are constructed from flexible liquid impervious strips of material such as impregnated fabric, andwherein'through my discovery and concept, the! lethal fluid may bevery slowly and uniformly discharged throughout the full length of the conduit.

'These and other objects and. advantages ofthe 2 invention willmore'fully appear 'from the followingdescriptionfma'de in connection with the aocompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters re'ferto the same parts tlaroughout theiviewsand' in which:

"Figural is aside elevation-"showing a relatively shortffumigant' distributor -=embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a cross section-takenon'the lined- 2 10 of "Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating the installation of -'my apparatus in a-typicalpurifia machinein a flour mill;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic vertical section showing atypical installation in a *flour mill mixer; and

Figure 5 is aside elevation of a longer embodiment of =my-apparatusemploying two distributor conduits with a central coupling head.

' 5 "iI he-cost ofletha'l rumigatins fluids (Volatile 25tudinally"spaoeddischarge orifices. "It is practicallyimpos'sible to form the apertures in metal of such restricted size that the fluid 'will emanate slowly enough to provide optimum fumigating conditions. In the case of volatileli-quids which vaporize-immediatelyafter discharge, the escape,

with most'commercial apparatus-now-used, is so rapidthat dripping-and"collectionof the liquid before vaporization concentrates the effect and a rlatively, large amount "ofthe'expensive fluid is consumed.

In the simplest form of my invention, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a short strip of impregnated fabric material such as duck o1 canvas is longitudinally folded at one side of its longitudinal center line and the doubled strip is doubled stitched, as shown, along the parallel lines A and B forming a hem or tubular conduit. 6 in the lower portion thereof and providing an attachment flange or web 7 at the upper portion thereof. On this short distributor conduit of my invention I prefer to bias the upper longitudinal edge of the strip relative to the axis of the conduit 6 so that when the device is supported in substantially horizontal position the point where the lethal fluid is introduced is higher than the outer extremity of the conduit.

The conduit is closed at its outer end in any suitable manner preferably by double stitching transversely thereof on the lines C and D, as shown in Figure 1. In all of the stitching (lines A, B, C and D) a chain stitch is preferred although other types of stitching may be successfully used within the scope of my invention. The intake end of conduit 6 is tightly clamped about the nipple of a suitable coupling such as the L coupling 13 illustrated in Figure 1. The vertical or lower end of this T coupling is readily connected to a source of lethal fluid under pressure. Pressures of from forty to sixty pounds per square inch are suitable and entirely satisfactory for producing excellent results with my apparatus. The stitches may vary from 6 to 16 stitches per inch, depending upon the nature of the fluids to be distributed.

In Figure a double distributor embodying my invention is illustrated comprising a pair of spaced aligned strips of folded and stitched impregnated fabric forming conduits 6 of identical construction with that of the simpler embodiment first described, and leaving marginal upper attachment flanges here shown of uniform width extending the full lengths of the conduit 6. The conduits are closed by stitching at their outer ends and have their adjacent inner ends securely clamped about a pair of nipples Illa extending from a T head coupling NJ, the lower end of which is externally screw threaded as shown for ready connection with a source of lethal fluid under pressure.

The flexible and integrally formed attachment flange of my fumigant apparatus lends itself to ready connection with and conformation to various pieces of equipment and supporting structures. Its simplicity and compactness enables it to be readily attached by clips, tacks or other elements to adjust either horizontal or vertical supporting surfaces. In milling machinery and other machines these fabric distributor conduits may be supported horizontally or vertically very close to working parts without interfering with operation of the machines whereby fumigation may be carried out with the machines operated to obtain thorough penetration and optimum conditions.

In Figure 3 the dotted lines indicate the general frame and exterior of a purifier machine used in the milling and manufacture of farinaceous flour. Here it will be noted that an elongated double conduit embodiment of my distributor is attached within the machine adjacent the bottom of the hopper therein. Another single conduit is disposed diagonally below the dome top of the machine. Another (not shown) is attached across the machine at the feed gate.

In Figure 4 an installation which is typical for enclosed trough conveyors or mixers is illustrated. Here the flanges I at the top of the two distributor conduits are secured along supporting walls or to the horizontal bottom of the top of the trough with their conduits 6 suspended thereby and extending horizontally at the top. The tubes, it will be noted, will not interfere with the screw conveyor but extend the full length thereof above the conveyor or mixer.

In operation as near as can be detected scientifically the fluid under pressure emanates slowly from the stitching apertures at both or opposite sides of the conduit formed. The escape of such fluid is so gradual and uniform that even where volatile liquids are used no collection or dripping of the liquid occurs but it vaporizes uniformly as it exudes. Much less supply of lethal fluid is required because of the graduated uniform distribution than with all metal or other rigid types of distributor conduits now in use. The distribution is such from opposite sides of the conduit that a very dense and uniform lethal atmosphere is created having higher efficiency for fumigation purposes.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts zvithout departing from the scope of my invenion.

What I claim is:

l. Fumigating apparatus comprising a tubular conduit constructed from a strip of flexible, substantially fluid-impervious material, the longitudinal edges of said strip being lapped and secured together by a row of narrow stitches extending longitudinally of said strip, said stitches providing a multiplicity of spaced minute orifices for escape of fumigating fluid at a multiplicity of spaced points along said conduit and from both sides thereof, said conduit being closed at at least one of its ends and having a coupling connection for supply of fumigating fluid under pressure.

2. Fumigating apparatus comprising a tubular conduit constructed from a strip of flexible textile material impregnated to an extent to render it substantially fluid-impervious, the longitudinal edges of said strip being lapped, a row of narrow stitches securing said lapped longitudinal edges .and said strip together and providing a multiplicity of spaced minute orifices for escape of fumigating fluid at a multiplicity of spaced points along said conduit, means for closing at least one end of said conduit and a coupling connection carried by said conduit at a point removed from its closed end for connection with a source of fumigating fluid under pressure.

3. Fumigating apparatus comprising a tubular conduit constructed from a strip of flexible, substantially fluid-impervious material, the longitudinal edges of said strip lying in side by side relation and a row of narrow stitches extending through said longitudinal edges longitudinally of said strip and securing said edges together to leave a relatively wide longitudinal seam, said stitches providing a multiplicity of spaced minute orifices for escape of fumigating fluid at a multiplicity of spaced points along said conduit, said wide seam constituting a flexible attachment flange for said conduit, means for closing at least one end of said conduit and coupling means for connecting said conduit at a point removed from the closed end thereof with a supply of fumigating fluid under pressure.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3 wherein I said attachment flange formed by said seam tapers from the outer end of said conduit towards said coupling connection to provide for horizontal attachment of said strip with the outer end of said conduit disposed below the level of said coupling.

5. A fumigating unit comprising a central coupling head having a connection element for attachment to a source of fumigating fluid under pressure and having connection elements in communication with said first mentioned connection element and a plurality of tubular conduits, each constructed from a strip of flexible, substantially fluid-impervious fabric, the longitudinal edges of said strip being lapped and secured together by a row of narrow stitches said stitches providing 15 Number 6 a multiplicity of spaced minute orifices for escape of fumigating fluid at a multiplicity of spaced points along said conduit, each of said conduits being closed at the outer end thereof and having a coupling connection at the opposite end for connection with one of said coupling connections of said coupling head.

KENNETH DONALD CROOKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Date 1,989,427 Jan. 29, 1935 

